Instructor Trainer bios

Ya-Cyuan Chen’s interest in Pilates stems from receiving orthopedic physical therapy after an ankle injury in high school. The success in her recovery inspired her to obtain her license in physical therapy in 2007; and it was not long after she began exploring mind and body exercises such as yoga and Pilates.

The mat exercises from Merrithew^®'s STOTT PILATES^® program convinced Ya-Cyuan Chen of the benefits of Pilates, and she completed her certification in STOTT PILATES and STOTT PILATES Rehab in 2011/2012.

In 2015, she co-founded Triangle Pilates Studio in Kaohsiung to inspire others in moving well and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. She also teaches at Merrithew Licensed Training Center, Alignment Fitness Studio.

After two years of teaching Pilates and Yoga, Yoyo reached a plateau and began exploring new methods to sharpen her skills. In 2019, she started training in STOTT PILATES^® and was immediately drawn to its structured, evidence-based approach. By 2021, she had become a certified instructor, and in 2022, she founded her own Pilates studio.

Beyond Pilates, Yoyo enjoys tennis, swimming and comprehensive strength training. She believes her Pilates practice has made it easier to learn and excel in other sports by improving her physical control, strength and agility.

Passionate about teaching, Yoyo continues to develop her skills and share the STOTT PILATES method with both clients and fellow instructors, helping more people experience what she calls “the best mind-body workout for modern life”.

YeJung Kim discovered STOTT PILATES^® in 2013 and was captivated by its systematic and logical approach that benefits both the body and mind. Driven by her passion for Pilates, she became a Merrithew^® Trained Instructor in 2015 and a Certified Instructor in 2017.

Upon relocating to Daejeon, South Korea, YeJung established the first fully equipped Merrithew studio, aiming to introduce Pilates and its benefits to her community. She later joined the Merrithew Host Training Center (HTC) to further promote the expertise of STOTT PILATES. In 2023, she advanced to become an Instructor Trainer, enabling her to deliver even greater value to her students and clients.

Since 2006, Jennifer Peng has been trained in STOTT PILATES^®, completing the full certification in both the Intensive & Advanced and Rehab streams. She later became an Instructor Trainer in the STOTT PILATES Rehab. She specialized in motor control field when she studied her master’s degree in Physical Therapy. She conducted and published a systematic review and meta-analysis article on the therapeutic effectiveness of Pilates for chronic low back pain in 2012.

Jennifer is currently a Clinical Associate Professor at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, where she mentors sixth-year physical therapy interns in learning and applying Pilates in clinical practice. Passionate about integrating clinical experience into rehabilitation-based Pilates, she continuously challenges herself to apply Pilates in diverse populations, including children with cerebral palsy, stroke patients, prenatal and postpartum clients with pelvic issues, postoperative, scoliosis, people with chronic pain, athletes, and cancer survivors.

Yifei pursued her education and professional experience in both the UK and Germany before returning to China in 2008 to build a career in finance. Her passion for mindful movement soon outweighed her corporate path, leading her to become a dedicated Yoga instructor.

In 2022, she discovered STOTT PILATES^® quickly experienced its benefits-enhancing her sports performance and relieving back pain. Now a dynamic Instructor Trainer, Yifei combines expertise with genuine care, building strong relationships and inspiring students to reach their full potential.